Flat-block linoleum-printing machine.



N. L. CAMPBELL.

FLAT BLOCK LINOLEUM PRINTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 14. I9Iz.

Patented June 5, 19177.

2 SHEETS--SHEET 2.

, srars ra orion FLAT-BLOCK LINOLEUM-PRINTING MACHINE.

naasten.

Application led March 14, 1917.

T 0 /IZZ 007mm t may concern Be it known that I, NEIL L. CAMPBELL, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Salem, in the county of Salem and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Flat-Block Linoleum-irinting Machines, of which the following is a specification.

in flat bloclclinoleum printing machines all the blocks have faces ofthe same width and print at the same time, and in order to accommodate color mechanism the blocks are spaced apart by distances equal to the width of the faces of the blocks so that the, so-called, carpet must be fed intermittently in order to print all over its face and the color mechanism is the speed limiting factor .in the operation of the machine. Heretofore there was one block for each color and the carpet was fed between each printing operation a ,distance equal to the width of the face of a block, so that after each printing operation the carpet was advanced only the distance of the width of the face of one block, which `is the same as the space between adjacent blocks, and as has been said the speed of the machine was limited, so that the production was slow. For eX- ample if eighteen inches is the width of the faces of each of the blocks and of the spaces between them and if the machine prints ten times in a unit of time, the production in a unit of time is only five yards, because the feed between each of the printing operations is eighteen inches.

The object of the present invention is to increase the production without the necessity for attempting to speed up the machine.

According to my invention this object is attained by employing more than one block .for the same color 'and feeding vthe carpet not the same but dilferent distances between successive printing operations, for example, by feeding it alternately between printing operations a distance equal to the width of the face of one block or, what amounts to n the same thing, a distance equal to the space between two blocks, and then feeding the carpet a distance equal to the space between two blocks plus a distance equal. to the sum of the widths of the faces of as many blocks as are applying the same color. To use the same illustration as above it will be assumed that there are two blocks for the same color, the carpet having been printed in two places, spaced apart, is fed eighteen Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J une 5, 1917 semi no. 154,685.

inches and printed thus applying color in two more places and filling up the space left by the first printing. The carpet is then fed fifty-four inches, which moves it into such position that at the next printing operation the same color is applied at two new places, spaced apart, and the `operation is repeated. In a unit of time required for ten printing operations the carpet is fed eighteen inches live times and fifty-four inches five times, or ten yards per unit ottime, so that under the assumption made, the production is doubled as a result of my invention.

ln this specification I shall describe mechanism or means for vintermittently feeding the carpet different distances between alten nate printing operations, but my invention is not to be limited in regard to the means employed, for I believe that from this description those skilled in the art can provide suitable means for the purpose set forth without invention and within the scope of my invention and appended claims'.

ln the accompanying drawings I have illustrated features of the invention and in those drawingsl '.Figurel, is a diagrammatic view,

Fig. Q., is an end view illustrative of a type of feed mechanism. Fig. 3, is a side view of a detail, and

Fig. 4f, is a perspective view of a detail.

In the drawings l is a diagrammatic illustration of a printing block. The faces of these printing blocks l are equal in width to the spaces between the blocks. The blocks l all print simultaneously and the carpet is fed by means of endless `feed-bands 2 driven i by suitable pulleys 3. There are usualand well knownprovisions of a flat block linoleum printing machine and it is so well known that the devices for applying color to the faces of the blocks 1 are arranged be tween them that it is unnecessary to illustrate those devices. l

According to my invention there is a plurality of blocks for each color. For the sake of description I have shown two blocks for each color and have markedy them, respectively fw, w, g/ and e. I do not, however, intend to limit the invention to the use of two blocks for each color, for more than two blocks may be employed, but by using two blocks the production of the machine is doubled as has been stated.

The device 2, under the assumption made, between successive printing operations feeds the carpet alternately a distance equal vto the width of the face of a block l, or what amounts to the same thing, a distance equal to the space between the blocks l and a distance equal to the space between two blocks n plus the width of the space between two blocks. yFor example, if eighteen inches is the width of the face of a block and also the distance between two blocks, which is customary in machines of the kind upon which my invention is an improvement, the carpet is advanced yor fed alternately between printing operations eighteen inches and lifty-four inches. This, of course, applies to the case yunder consideration where there are two blocks for the same color. A description of the plurality of blocks that relate t0 one color is sufhcient, for the operation of the groups of blocks that relate to other colors is the same.

Referring to Fig. l and to the group or plurality of blocks w at one printing operation, they print at a and Y). Before the next printing operation the carpet is fed forward eighteen inches, as indicated toward the bottom of the sheet. At the next printing operation the carpet is printed at a1 and 61, thus covering the face for the distance of seventy-two inches. Before the next printing operation the carpet is fed fifty-four inches, as will be `seen by looking farther toward the bottom of the sheet, and is printed at q2 and b2. The previously printed portions ,al a and b1 b are advanced clear .of the pair of blocks w, and byl following the figure toward the bottom 4of the sheet, having regard to the exponents used, further stages of the printing operation will be readily understood. From this description and bearing in mind that the carpet is continually fed in the manner described, the operation of the groups of blocks, such as fr, 1/ and e will be readily understood.

Without intending to confine the invention to any particular means .or mechanism for feeding the carpet, for example, alternately eighteen inches and fifty-four inches, or like distances, depending upon the width of the faces of the blocks and the spaces between them as has been described, I will describe one form of mechanism fory accomplishing such feed.

' Referring to Fig. 2, the shaft 4L is driven continuously for example by means of the worm-gear 5. The cam shaft 6 is driven continuously `frein the shaft t by means of Copies 0f thiS Patent may be obtained for the gearing 7. The counter-shaft 8 is driven intermittently from the cam-shaft 6 by means lof the star-wheel gearing 9. Between the counter-shaft 8 and the shaft l0 there are two sets of gears l1 and 12, of which, in the present instance, the set l1 is one to one and the set 12 is three to one. Cams 13 on the .cam-shaft 6 serve by shifting one of the gear wheels mounted for rotation with the shaft 8 but endwise movable thereon, to bring the sets of gears ll or 12 into mesh. Thus the shaft l0 is alternately driven at a certain speed and, after a period of rest, at three times that speed. The gears 14 vserve to drive the shaft l5 from the shaft l() and the y.shaft 115 carries the feed-bands 2. rlhe arrows in Fig. 2 indicate the direction of revolution of the shafts and it may :he said that while the motion of the cam-shaft 6 is continuous the motion of the shaft 8 ,is intermittent and this facilitates the described operation .of shifting the gears. In describthe mechanism of 2, the particular ratio of three to one for speed is used for the sake of consistency throughout the description, but it will be understood that it is merely descriptive and ,depends upon the number ,of blocks employed for the same 0010.1"-

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art to which the invention relates that modifications may be made in details, such as the feed mechanism, without departing from the spirit o-f the invention which is not limited to those matters or otherwise than the prior state of the art and the appended claims may require.

What I claim is:

l. A fiat block linoleum printing machine having a plurality of its blocks arranged to operate with the same color and provided with means for feeding a carpet alternately and different distances at each printing operation, substantially as described.

2. A Hat block linoleuin printing machine having a plurality of blocks arranged to operate with the same color Iand provided with means for feeding a carpet alternately .at each printing operation a distance equal to the space between two blocks and a distance equal 0.0 the Sum of the space between two blocks plus the sum of the widths of the faces ef Said plurality of blocks, substantially as described,

NE1L L. CAMPBELL.

ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

